20 years ago

[RP_McMurphy]

One of the most sad stories in modern basketball history. Len Bias what a waste of absolutely brillant basketball talent. I say the Celtics could have ended up with 304 more titles with him.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/bias/launch/biasfrnt.htm

[Aldous Huxley]

"This is my 24th year at Duke," says coach Mike Krzyzewski, "and in that time there have been two opposing players who have really stood out: Michael Jordan and Len Bias.

Our basic report characterized Bias as a `Michael Jordan type who was bigger, with a better jump shot, but who didn't go to the basket as well.' " - NBA Scout

http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2003/11/18/what_might_have_been/

[Blue Heaven]

I will never forget playing some baseball in the street w/ my friends when we heard the news. It's just totally devastating for someone so young and so talented to fall for the trap that is peer pressure. It has ruined many future greats the world never got to see.:cry:

[I. Melvin]

I really think Len Bias' death changed things.

Until that time, cocaine was widely regarded as the drug of choice - the high without the impairment. It was everywhere.

In fact, when we look at our current Hammurabic attitudes toward substance use and abuse (including steroids), I think we forget that there was far greater acceptance of "better living through chemistry" than there is now.

It is telling that the NBA Players Association of that era was able to get marijuana exempted from penalties. (And - my personal favorite - was able to get the word that suggests an Oedipal activity exempted from being called a technical.)

Bias' death changed all that. We'd heard of people dying of cocaine overdoses, but this was the first young and healthy and famous guy that it actually happened to. All of a sudden it was serious.